My Clyde Puffer

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

If you have a dig around on Google you will find many examples of a puffer hull painted up in the same way as yours.  Not just the Vital Spark but many period pictures as well show black only above the rubbing strake.

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Thanks gents. Putting some colour on certainly gives it more life. I’m toying with the idea of giving the oxide area a really thin wash of black or dark grey to give it a used look.

Fred , it’ll be sometime before it sees water. Lots to do yet.

Jim.

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Given the oxide coating a thin black wash to tone it down a bit. Might give it bit more weathering marks yet but I don’t want to over do it. I need to look at a few more coloured pictures to get some ideas.

Jim.

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Managed to get back on the Puffer again.

The engine house been completed with the roof on and I’ve fitted open doors, just to make it look a bit different. I may add a bit more detail to the engine house as it looks a wee bit plain, although from some pictures, they were. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of rivetting showing ,so maybe they were a welded construction. The wheelhouse framework is on top, ready to be planked, but I’m going to plank the rear deck first. Nothing is glued down yet.

Jim.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Nice neat woodwork, you’ve given yourself a stout framework on which you can now plank.  The wash makes a big difference to the hull.  Just tones the solid colour down a bit and adds a bit of tonal difference to make it more interesting.

I would definitely advise creating a test piece.  Get yourself a reasonable sized piece of ply, prime it and then paint it with exactly the same paints that you have painted your hull.  You can then use that to try out any other weathering processes that you might be considering.  Far better to make a mess of a scrap of ply than your pride and joy.  Only when you produce something you are really pleased with can you then try it on the model.

These are the type of things I do with specific things such as gunwhale stays etc.  For a hull side you might want a bigger peice.

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Thanks Richard,

I’ve noted what you did on your coaster build, plus, like you, it helps having done some weathering on locos that I have. Something to look forward to eventually.

Jim.

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Hi Jim

Your Puffer is just great, I must say your woodwork is one of the best I have seen for a long time.

I must say that your hull looks a lot better than mine, I think mine could do with a dark wash.

Looking forward to seeing how you do your wheel house, I take it you will be fitting it out. When you start the deck are you going to put a ply deck then plank over that?

Fred

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Hi Fred,

Thankyou for your comments. My woodworking skills are very basic I’m afraid, there’s nothing special about it, a lot of mistakes made along the way had to be corrected!

I decided on the wash to tone down the brightness of the oxide colour which I thought was a little bit bright so I thinned down some Humbrol enamel with thinners and used a flat brush to paint over the oxide. ( the oxide was just a Halfords rattle acryllic which I gave a good while to thoroughly dry out before the wash.) I was a bit unsure at first about what I’d done , but once thoroughly dry it seems have turned out ok. It has different shades in it which look quite nice.

Regarding the planking on the deck, my first thought is to plank straight on to the bulkheads using 1/16th ply strips that I’ve already cut out. The wheelhouse will need some internal supports for its lighter planks which will help with the glueing. I need to study pictures to see about detailing the inside,

The forward decking will be planked over the ply deck that I’ve already made. The area around the hatch I’ve covered in card in the hope of using Richards idea of representing flush rivetting. I’m not sure about bulwark side support stays ,as a lot of pictures show boats without them, but it would be another bit of detail to try.

Still lots to do,

Jim.

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Nice job Jim.  Wonder about water getting in through your open doors.

Len

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Hopefully not Len, but if it’s a problem in the future, it’ll need looking at again.

Everything above the decking will be made to be removable, so if the open doors don’t work it shouldn’t be too difficult to put right.

Jim.

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

I started to plank the rear deck, but after getting this far, realised I’d made a couple of stupid basic errors. I’ve no idea why, other than not concentrating properly, so what’s already started is coming off, and then start again.It’s no good trying to get round an error, it would niggle forever.

So it’s planks away and clean up time.

Jim.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Jim, just something to think about, not even a suggestion.

If you plank directly onto the edges of the frames like you have then the individual planks could lack strength.  Movement with age could lead to joints opening up and there is a possibility that you might not have a perfect glued joint around every plank edge.  Also the strength is only in line with the grain.

I would cover the deck first with a piece of ply, it doesn’t need to be thick, which will tie all the frames together to give a stronger structure, in two different directions, before adding the planking on top of the ply.  This will provide a much better sealed surface and a much stronger structure.

Just food for thought, it would be interesting to hear other opinions.

[mmcp42Participant @mmcp42]

might also make removing the deck easier if the ply wan’t glued, but just fitted in place?

complete noob so please ignore!

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Your suggestoion makes sense Richard. I’m using a thinner ply this time so another thin layer would help. Not something I had considered before, so thanks for that.

MM. The centre section behind the engine house will need to be removable to access the rudder servo etc. so that needs thinking about.

Jim.

[Richard Simpson]

On Richard Simpson Said:

 

Just food for thought, it would be interesting to hear other opinions.

That’s exactly how I’ve done mine for exactly those reasons.

Stephen

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Jim,

On my Puffer I have a 10mm wide horseshoe shaped flange running around the stern bulwarks.  The deck screws to that.  Easily removable to leave the hull completely clear.   The planking, engine room and wheel house all fix to the deck.  Just found it made things a bit easier to work on clear of the hull.  On mine the wheelhouse roof lifts of and the floor comes out to give access to the servo and rudder chains for any quick lakeside adjustments.

Len.

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Managed at last to get the rear deck planking done. It needs tidying up a bit before I sand and seal it.

I took Richards advice and layed a thin sheet over the bulkheads and then planked over the top of that. On my plan, it shows a raised hatch between the engine house and the stern, so that will act as a way of lifting that piece out for access to the servo and rudder chains. I want to use some brass rod inside brass tubing to make location points for alignment. Once done, I can move on to planking and glazing the wheel house. After that, chimney and vents and assorted deck fittings and move slowly forward.

Jim.

[Alasdair AllanParticipant @alasdairallan37423]

Following your puffer model with great interest JIm.  Just getting started on an adapted version of a Caldercraft puffer kit, and rather in awe of what you have done here from scratch.

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Hi Alasdair,

Thankyou for your kind comments. At the moment things have slowed down a bit owing to me being told I have Prostate cancer, so things are a bit all over the place at the present. I certainly will be be back building when I’ve sorted a few things out. I’m determined to finish it if possible. Whether I get to sail any of my builds I’m not sure.

It’s great to see you’re having a go at a Puffer as well. I think they were a great little boat and a good one to model with room for lots of detail.

As soon as I get going again, I’ll be posting.

Keep us posted on your build.

Jim.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Jim, I was initially diagnosed in 2009 and we’ve been able to keep it under control since then.  Hopefully continual monitoring will enable that to continue.  Good luck with yours, hopefully they have caught it early.

[Alasdair AllanParticipant @alasdairallan37423]

Hi Jim – am sorry to hear you’re not well.  Hope you are making good progress and wish you all the best for your recovery.Kind regards, Alasdair

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Jim, a close relative of mine was diagnosed a couple of years ago but successfully treated and at the moment is clear of symptoms. Good luck and we all wish you well.

Colin

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Many thanks gents for your best wishes,

It’s amazing how much treatment you get these days with all the drugs available. Although I’m stage four, they seem to think they can still control things so we keep going and the Puffer will certainly get under way again.

Jim.

[mmcp42Participant @mmcp42]

hello Jim

brother-in-law was diagnosed a year ago

had the op

back to full fighting strength very quickly

now you’d never know he had a problem

very best wishes for a speedy fix and recovery

cheers

Mike

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

I’ll be pestering people with questions again.

Jim.

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